[Team] Williams: Do they have a spare tub?

[Peter Mallett]

The Andretti name is just as famous as the Williams name. Albeit driving rather than F1 team ownership.

[bjohnsonsmith]

As an IndyCar team owner, Andretti has had 4 drivers win the IndyCar driver's championship and 5 win the Indy 500.

[Peter Mallett]

Yes, but with respect Indy Car is pretty meaningless to most European Sports fans, although I take your point. I was really thinking of Mario's international career in Formula One and Sports cars which added to a proven track record of major team ownership, as you point out, is equal to the late Sir Frank.

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by Derwent

It's probably just us oldies that would be upset. the Netflix generation and Americans would be happy with Andretti sadly.

This post is very gatekeeper-ey and is one of the biggest problems with F1 at the moment.

We all love the sport for different reasons. What matters is we love the sport, not why we do. Or where we are from.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Yes, but with respect Indy Car is pretty meaningless to most European Sports fans, although I take your point. I was really thinking of Mario's international career in Formula One and Sports cars which added to a proven track record of major team ownership, as you point out, is equal to the late Sir Frank.

You may have mistyped, but I don't think Mario has any team ownership experience (someone correct me if I am wrong)? I think the world knows Mario via his racing, but it is Michael who (while having a great racing career) is the one with the team ownership experience.

Richard

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

You may have mistyped, but I don't think Mario has any team ownership experience (someone correct me if I am wrong)? I think the world knows Mario via his racing, but it is Michael who (while having a great racing career) is the one with the team ownership experience.

Richard

Correct, I should have written "Michael's ownership".

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

As an IndyCar team owner, Andretti has had 4 drivers win the IndyCar driver's championship and 5 win the Indy 500.

Across how many years, and as Janet Jackson is wont to sing "What have you done for me lately?"

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

The Andretti name is just as famous as the Williams name. Albeit driving rather than F1 team ownership.

Personally I'm not convinced about that - at least for those into F1 for a while. Yes, Mario is justifiably famous, Michael justifiably not so but I think that neither of them is "up there" with Sir Frank Williams and the awesome, all-powerful (in its day) team that he built.

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

As an IndyCar team owner, Andretti has had 4 drivers win the IndyCar driver's championship and 5 win the Indy 500.

I get that but IndyCar is essentially a national championship and certainly nowhere near the level of F1 in terms of what the teams need to deliver, with all due respect to the IndyCar community. From the point of view of success there being relevant to F1, it's probably at a similar level to F2.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Across how many years, and as Janet Jackson is wont to sing "What have you done for me lately?"

Originally a CART team, Team Green, it was restructured as Andretti Green Racing after Michael Andretti purchased a majority interest in the team and switched from CART to the IndyCar Series in 2003.

IndyCar champions
2004 Tony Kanaan
2005 Dan Wheldon
2007 Dario Franchitti
2012 Ryan Hunter-Reay

Indianapolis 500 victories
2005 Dan Wheldon
2007 Dario Franchitti
2014 Ryan Hunter-Reay
2016 Alexander Rossi
2017 Takuma Sato

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Personally I'm not convinced about that - at least for those into F1 for a while. Yes, Mario is justifiably famous, Michael justifiably not so but I think that neither of them is "up there" with Sir Frank Williams and the awesome, all-powerful (in its day) team that he built.


I get that but IndyCar is essentially a national championship and certainly nowhere near the level of F1 in terms of what the teams need to deliver, with all due respect to the IndyCar community. From the point of view of success there being relevant to F1, it's probably at a similar level to F2.

It is essentially a national championship, however I wouldn't have said it's at a similar level to F2 and I doubt the drivers and teams competing would agree.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

It is essentially a national championship, however I wouldn't have said it's at a similar level to F2 and I doubt the drivers and teams competing would agree.

Not what I said - in terms of relevance to F1 they are at a similar level, because F1 is a massive step up in magnitude because of the need to be a constructor (plus the world wide logistics, plus a range of other factors). Both F2 and IndyCar are about buying cars from a constructor and going racing - very different to F1 and either would be as relevant as each other to F1.

Taking away any reference to F1, personally I'd consider IndyCar at a higher level than F2 - not massively higher but still higher.

Anyway, back on topic - due to the history at Williams, it would be a great shame to see the team name go, but it's a different team these days in many respects, with different ownership and at some stage, it could well be re-branded. Although keeping the original name has been possible for McLaren, history of team sales generally suggests that the Williams name may well be removed from the grid at some point in future years.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Not what I said - in terms of relevance to F1 they are at a similar level, because F1 is a massive step up in magnitude because of the need to be a constructor (plus the world wide logistics, plus a range of other factors). Both F2 and IndyCar are about buying cars from a constructor and going racing - very different to F1 and either would be as relevant as each other to F1.

Taking away any reference to F1, personally I'd consider IndyCar at a higher level than F2 - not massively higher but still higher.

Why then did you say: ''From the point of view of success there being relevant to F1, it's probably at a similar level to F2.''?

[BTCC frog]

I know the Ferrari and McLaren names are still going long after the deaths of Enzo and Bruce, but for some reason, perhaps the fact that Williams are more of an independent team, I think that the new owners should change the name, and the name Williams should die with Frank as Tyrrell did with Ken. It somehow feels wrong to me that the statistics for years to come will be assigned to Williams, when it is no longer Frank Williams' team. Normally I hate name changes (like Alpine and Alpha Tauri), but sometimes changes of ownership make them right and I think this is one of those examples.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Not what I said - in terms of relevance to F1 they are at a similar level, because F1 is a massive step up in magnitude because of the need to be a constructor (plus the world wide logistics, plus a range of other factors). Both F2 and IndyCar are about buying cars from a constructor and going racing - very different to F1 and either would be as relevant as each other to F1.

Taking away any reference to F1, personally I'd consider IndyCar at a higher level than F2 - not massively higher but still higher.

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Why then did you say: ''From the point of view of success there being relevant to F1, it's probably at a similar level to F2.''?

Explained fully in the first para of my post quoted above - the same one that you quoted.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Explained fully in the first para of my post quoted above - the same one that you quoted.

I quoted ''From the point of view of success there being relevant to F1, it's probably at a similar level to F2.'' from your previous post, #2033

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I quoted ''From the point of view of success there being relevant to F1, it's probably at a similar level to F2.'' from your previous post, #2033

.....& I explained exactly what I meant - have PM'ed you, will be getting very boring for everyone else and off the the Williams topic.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Tourer

.....& I explained exactly what I meant - have PM'ed you, will be getting very boring for everyone else and off the the Williams topic.

Indeed.

[FIRE]

Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport
Walkinshaw Andretti United

Williams Racing with Andretti Autosport

Problem solved
(and in a couple of years they can remove the Williams Racing part)

[E.B]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport
Walkinshaw Andretti United

Williams Racing with Andretti Autosport

Problem solved
(and in a couple of years they can remove the Williams Racing part)

.... and that gives us how many exrtra cars or additional new drivers on the grid? Whats the point?

[S griffin]

I just hope the Williams name survives like McLaren and Ferrari have. It wouldn’t be the same without it. At the same time I hope the team’s future gets secured

[VIVA GT]

I see on the Autosport website that Williams have appointed ( former Mercedes’ Formula 1 strategy director) James Vowles as their new Team Principle, and that he will be starting the job on February 20th.
I wonder how this will work out (for both teams)?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I see on the Autosport website that Williams have appointed ( former Mercedes’ Formula 1 strategy director) James Vowles as their new Team Principle, and that he will be starting the job on February 20th.
I wonder how this will work out (for both teams)?

It is an interesting ‘get’
Perhaps the former employer has now created a useful connection to create a ‘B’ team?

The real question will be to see how many commercial sponsors show up on the car at launch. Will the team have the backing available to do a lot beyond surviving?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by E.B

.... and that gives us how many exrtra cars or additional new drivers on the grid? Whats the point?

A respond to people who say renaming the team is a PR nightmare.

[GTRMagic]

Meantime, do we think the Gulf branding might land here?

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Meantime, do we think the Gulf branding might land here?

Apparently! It would nice to see a full livery, however Gulf were only a minor sponsor at McLaren.